The Ghoul In The Attic
by sunshyndaisies-and-chickadilly
Summary: The Weasley household gets very little sleep the night before Ron and Hermione's wedding--why in the world is everyone so tired this morning? :) (R/H) Please r/r, thanks!!!


_Disclaimer: we're not out to offend, steal, or otherwise do harm to the wonderful franchise that is Harry Potter... Please don't sue us!! :)_

"The Ghoul In The Attic"

By Sgrquill (Jennifer) and Chickadilly5 (Lea)

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes one more time. It was the fifth time he'd done so in the last fifteen minutes; he just couldn't seem to keep his eyes open this morning. This could pose a significant problem, as his best friend was due to get married in less than five hours, and if he didn't find a way to wake up properly, he just might find himself going down as the worst best man in the history of weddings.

Well, this was all Ron's fault anyway. 

Harry didn't have any solid proof, but he would have bet a tidy sum that the noise he'd heard coming from Ron's room last night (that had kept him awake into the wee hours of the morning, and was the reason he was in this groggy state in the first place) was, well... due to something he knew for certain Mrs. Weasley would have never approved of. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure if Mr. Weasley himself would look too favorably upon it.

Hermione was usually a paragon of virtue and propriety (Ron had taken to calling her "our little walking rulebook" sometime during fifth year, which would have undoubtedly earned him at least a week of the silent treatment before he and Hermione had become a couple, but instead caused her only to shake her head at him). But it seemed even the bride-to-be had her limits, and last night she must have hit hers. Harry heard hushed voices sometime after midnight last night; he was stationed right below, in Percy's old room. After he shook himself awake, he realized he wasn't just imagining those voices coming from upstairs. One of them was unmistakably Hermione's (after nine years as her best friend, he could pick out her voice from a chorus), though he'd never heard her speak in that particular timbre before, nor had he ever heard Ron sound so... _affected_. 

It wasn't long before Harry's slowly-waking brain registered what was happening--or rather, what was about to happen. That was when he decided to bury his head under his pillow and hope for the best.

Unfortunately, the pillow could do only so much to drown out the noise.  Harry never thought he'd live to see the day when Hermione would bungle a spell as simple as a silencing charm, but considering her frayed nerves (and the fact that her mind was quite apparently engaged elsewhere), he supposed even the best of witches was capable of experiencing a malfunction or two.

As the devoted best friend, he knew it would be his sworn duty to keep Ron and Hermione's little pre-wedding tryst a secret. He only hoped Hermione had already apparated back home; that would certainly help matters a great deal and save him much explaining (though it really wasn't his responsibility to explain). He had to wonder, though: if he had been able to hear everything that was going on last night (pillow and all), then surely the others would have as well?

Oh well, he was sure it would be best to just keep quiet. After all, no one would possibly dare to bring up such a delicate subject at the breakfast table, not with Ron's parents right there.

All thoughts of Ron and his little escapade went out the window as he smelled the faint scent of Ginny's perfume. He heard her footsteps get closer, then felt her warm breath on his cheek when she kissed him hello.

"Good morning," she murmured.

"Morning," he said, turning his head to capture her lips with his own.

"Morning, Mum, Dad..."

"Morning, Ginny..."

She brought a hand up to her face to cover up a yawn; Harry pretended not to notice, and silently prayed that she wasn't about to tell everyone that she had had trouble sleeping last night.

"Bit tired this morning, dear?" 

Ginny nodded. "Mm, yeah, a bit, Mum," she said.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no... 

Then it began.  Harry's worst thought came true.

"Your father and I are too," Mrs. Weasley sighed, "right, Arthur?" 

"Indeed."

"Couldn't get much sleep last night," Mrs. Weasley went on. "I swear, that ghoul was just at his worst last night... Oh dear! Sausages are burning!!"

Harry eyed both of them carefully. He could have sworn Mr. Weasley had the beginnings of a grin twitching at the corners of his mouth, but decided he was just imagining it. Just pretend everything is normal, he told himself. 

 Still, Mrs. Weasley couldn't really believe it was the ghoul making all that noise, could she?

 "MORNING, ALL!!"

So much for pretending everything was normal. It was Fred. And wherever Fred was, George was sure to be nearby, and suddenly, Harry felt panic rising in his chest.  

"And what a beautiful morning it is, brother!" Sure enough George was right behind Fred.  "Though it would be better if I had got more sleep last night." 

"No kidding," Fred commented as he sat down at the table while George moved a chair to sit next to his twin. 

"Should have used a silencing charm, those two should have," George responded as Harry suddenly found himself sinking lower into his chair.  

"Completely agree, dear brother.  Just hope they thought to use other charms if they forgot that one."

"Right." George grinned. "But then, it doesn't matter, does it? They're getting married anyway."

"I dare say, we will know for sure if in nine months there's a little Ron or Hermione making an appearance!" 

"BOYS!" Mrs. Weasley gasped as the twins both burst into laughter.

Harry found himself trying to hold back his own chuckle.  Glancing sideways at Ginny, he noticed she suddenly seemed fixated on her napkin.

"I was just telling Harry, your sister, and you father here, that the ghoul was much louder than usual last night." Mrs. Weasley said, placing special emphasis on the word 'ghoul' in an obvious attempt to get the twins to quit their insinuating comments.  

Fred and George would have none of that, apparently.

"Good one, eh, Harry?" Fred asked him, grinning.  

Harry looked up at him. "Your Mum says it was the ghoul making those noises, Fred," he said, trying to keep his expression serious, but failing miserably.  

"Yeah, it was the ghoul!" George agreed, winking at Harry. "I couldn't help but notice, though, that the ghoul suddenly had a much higher pitch than his normal baritone!" 

"Yes," Fred agreed. "and it was so rhythmic too!"

"Of course. Must have suddenly developed a fondness for Ron, too.  Kept saying his name too, the ghoul did." 

"That's enough now!" Mrs. Weasley commented loudly. "If you boys can't behave, then perhaps you can fix your own breakfast."  

Exchanging glances,  Fred and George seemed to silently communicate to each other they would be quiet for the time being so as to be fed.  Harry knew better than to feel relieved, however. Knowing them as soon as they had eaten they would start right back up again with the comments and innuendoes.  Just then Ron entered the room, looking surprisingly well rested, considering the lack of sleep he must have had.

"Hi, all!" he greeted them, as he sat down in the chair next to Ginny, who was still glancing down at the table (fighting back laughter, Harry noticed). 

"Good morning, dear," Mrs. Weasley responded as she began placing plates of food on the table. "I do hope you're all hungry!" She stifled another yawn.  

"_Starved_, Mum! This all looks wonderful, too," Ron said, staring eagerly at his plate. 

Mrs. Weasley sat down and smiled at him, satisfied that he and everyone else had plates heaped with food. 

"Well," said Mr. Weasley, who seemed to come out of his morning stupor at the sight of his youngest son, "how does the groom feel today?"  

Ron opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by George.

"Didn't you hear him, Dad?  He's _starved_!"  

Harry put his fork down so he wouldn't end up choking on whatever comment Fred was going to respond with.  

"As well he should be," he began, "making all that racket last night."

"Probably slept all of one hour, if that."

"Wonder how the bride is feeling?"

"We'll know by the manner in which she walks down the aisle..."

"Yes, good point, brother -"

"Wha?" Sputtering, Ron looked at his twin brothers, a frantic look in his eyes. "What are you two on about?"

"Don't listen to them, dear," Mrs. Weasley started, "they're being quite offensive this morning. Would anyone like a spot of tea with their breakfast?"  She got up and moved to the kitchen to put water on the fire. "I sure could use some to wake up." 

"Yes, please, Mum," Ginny responded, yawning again. "Make some for Harry too, he looks a bit sleepy himself." She reached over, tousling his hair as he brought her hands to his lips in a gentle kiss.

"I would like some tea, thanks," he said to Mrs. Weasley, who was beaming at their simple gesture of affection for each other.  Much to Harry's dismay, Fred and George of course had a different take on the display.

"Now, Harry, I do hope you didn't get any ideas from anything you heard last night."

"Yes," George added to Fred's cheek, "we know you care for Gin and all, but just remember she is our sister-"

"Our BABY sister at that-"

"It wouldn't do well for us to suddenly hear her screeching like last nights 'ghoul' was!"

"SHUT UP!" Ginny stood from her seat, glaring at Fred and George.  Her face was as bright a red as Harry  was sure his own was. With a pause for a breath, she said, "I think I will go help Mum with the tea.  I need some silence just about now." 

And with that she walked quickly out of the room, to the kitchen, door slamming behind her.  Their mother turned on them.

"Now, look! You've upset your sister!" 

She waved her finger at the both of them, before walking to the kitchen herself. 

"Honestly," Harry heard her mutter as the door shut, leaving silence in the room. 

After what seemed an eternity Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. "When will you two learn not to provoke your mother?" he said.

"I don't see how we're provoking her when WE weren't the ones making all the noise last night, do you Fred?"

"Certainly don't see it at all. Not our fault no one in this house got any sleep last night."

"Correct, we can't be blamed -"

"Look," Mr. Weasley interrupted, "I don't think there's a person in this room who believes it was the ghoul-" He shot a look towards Ron, who face was beyond mere red at this point, "-making all that noise last night. But for your mum's sake, just let her have her denial and be done with it." 

"Fine, Dad." Fred glanced at George who was nodding, "We'll stop."

"For now, anyway," George added.

"Although I don't see why she's so in denial--the woman had seven sodding children! I imagine she knows about this by now, doesn't she, Dad?"  

Oh God, Harry was already uncomfortable, but now he was downright horrified. This statement brought forth images of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley that he definitely did _not_ want.  One quick glance at Ron's face told him his best friend felt the same way.

"Both of you. Please. Shut. It. NOW!!"  

"Sure, Ron, we will, in fact..."

"... Let's go owl Angelina and that cute friend of hers, you know the Muggle one?"

"Oh yes, Jennifer is her name, she is cute isn't she?"

"Yes, they both are coming to the wedding aren't they? After last night I have this sudden urge to see many cute girls ..."  And with that the twins were out of the room, on their way to find Errol. 

In the moments of silence that followed Ron seemed to remember he had been starving and began shoveling food into his mouth. Probably in order to keep from talking and answering any questions his dad may have, Harry mused.  Luckily the kitchen door opened soon, alleviating the silence.

"Where did they go?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she placed tea cups on the table, while Ginny brought in a kettle of hot water. She glanced nervously at Harry who smiled and winked to show her Fred and George's comments didn't bother him in the least. Relieved she smiled and blew him a small kiss. 

"To owl cute girls in an attempt to get some action," Mr. Weasley responded, causing Harry to nearly fall from his chair from shock. Mr. Weasley, on the other hand was quite calm as he took a tea cup and proceeded to pour hot water into it. 

Harry looked up again at Ron who seemed to be both trying and failing to hide a laugh.  He seemed to suddenly realize Harry was looking at him met his eyes with a grin.

The minute the groom and best man met eyes, they no longer could contain themselves.  

And so it was, a moment later when Mr. and Mrs. Granger arrived at the front door, that they were greeted by the sight of their future son-in-law and his best friend on the floor of the Burrow laughing hysterically. 

*Author's note: It was me (Lea) who decided to name the cute girl, Jennifer. After my co-author who IS a total sweetheart and a great gal! :)


End file.
